20 electronic artists set to smash the 2017 festival season

A who’s who in the summer blockbuster gig stakes

Summer of love

Stuck for inspiration on which festivals to hit this summer? Here’s our pick of the best electronic acts appearing at UK festivals throughout the ‘sunnier’ months of 2017.

Summer’s yet to get into full swing, but it will soon and that means festival season is almost upon us. Once upon a time, festivals were all about hippies, (green) grass and guitars, now they’ve been taken over by a swathe of synth revolutionaries.

Romanced by the smell of hot dogs, burgers and red-hot circuitry, we have cherry-picked 20 of the best electronic acts and DJs you cannot miss on this summer’s festival circuit.

For this list we’ve gone for your classic chronological methodology, so get those calendars out and take a look at the lineup.

15. DJ Shadow

Festival: Boardmasters, Newquay

Date: 9-13 August

DJ Shadow was at the top of his game last year with the release of The Mountain Will Fall.

Most turntablists with a downtempo groove might find it hard to kick up a storm live, but Shadow is a class act skillfully adept at combining visuals and a symphonic-sounding mix. You’re bound to be hooked as soon as he drops the first sample.

16. Carl Craig

Festival: Boomtown Fair, Hampshire

Date: 10-13 August

Carl Craig departed from the norm to release his orchestral album ‘Versus’ in May, but this year’s set at Boomtown Fair will see the Detroit kingpin performing a blend of techno-induced jazz and soul cuts.

It’s not often you get to see a bona-fide legend in action, so join the 60,000 at Winchester.